The Africa Review has compiled and analysed salaries of African leaders to try and see what they tell about the relationship between those in power and their subjects.
In Kenya, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto last year announced a voluntary 20 per cent salary cut and invited other top government officials to follow suit. A few did, reluctantly.
In Tunisia, former President Moncef Marzouki, then facing an economic crisis in the post-revolution period, announced a two-thirds pay cut, slicing his annual pay from around $176,868 to ‘just’ $58,956 .
Nigerian President Muhammad Buhari recently announced that he will take a voluntary salary pay cut, which is a good gesture.
Below is a brief summary of 30 highest earning African Presidents:
| Country | Net pay per anum | President | |
| 1 | Cameroon | US$610,000 | Paul Biya |
| 2 | Morocco | US$480,000 | King Mohammed VI |
| 3 | South Africa | US$272,000 | Jacob Zuma |
| 4 | Tanzania | US$192,000 | Jakaya Kikwete |
| 5 | Algeria | US$164,000 | Abdel Aziz Bouteflika |
| 6 | Equatorial Guinea | US$150,000 | Theodore Nguema |
| 7 | Kenya | US$132,000 | Uhuru Kenyatta |
| 8 | Somalia | US$120,000 | Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud |
| 9 | Comoros | US$115,000 | Ikililou Dhoinine |
| 10 | Congo Republic | US$110,000 | Denis Sassou Nguesso |
| 11 | Namibia | US$110,000 | Hage Geingob |
| 12 | Zimbabwe | US$108,000 | Robert Mugabe |
| 13 | Mauritius | US$104,838 | Ameenah Gurib |
| 14 | Cote D’Ivoire | US$100,000 | Alassane Ouattara |
| 15 | Liberia | US$90,000 | Ellen Johnson Sirleaf |
| 16 | Rwanda | US$85,000 | Paul Kagame |
| 17 | Angola | US$81,075 | José Eduardo dos Santos |
| 18 | Ghana | US$76,000 | John Dramani Mahama |
| 19 | Malawi | US$75,348 | Peter Mutharika |
| 20 | Egypt | US$72,000 | Abdel Fattah el-Sisi |
| 21 | Nigeria | US$70,000 | Muhammadu Buhari |
| 22 | Mali | US$69,609 | Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta |
| 23 | Botswana | US$66,713 | Ian Khama |
| 24 | Gabon | US$65,000 | Ali Bongo Ondimba |
| 25 | Zambia | US$56,000 | Edgar Lungu |
| 26 | Dr.Congo | US$52,97 | Joseph Kabila |
| 27 | Swaziland | US$52,128 | Mswati III |
| 28 | Mozambique | US$47,500 | Filipe Nyusi |
| 29 | Ethiopia | US$44,472 | Mulatu Teshome |
| 30 | Lesotho | US$36,000 | Letsie III |
When most African leaders get into power, the first thing they do is to increase their salaries. Among the leaders who have done so include King Mswati of Swaziland, King Mohammed VI of Morocco and President Eduardo dos Santos of Angola
African presidents are among the highest paid presidents in the World despite the continent being ranked the poorest.
However, Zimbabwe’s President Mugabe reportedly awarded himself a whopping 300 percent increase over the past year, from $4 000 a month to 8,000 a month. When allowances are included, President Mugabe personally revealed that he gets $12,000 per month.
